The number of cancer patients in the North East waiting too long for treatment is on the rise.

The standard waiting time for beginning definitive treatment within 62 days was not met at two trusts in the region in June, latest figures from NHS England show.

People waiting too long for cancer treatment at South Tyneside Hospital Trust shot up in the month, with just 78.6% of patients beginning their treatment within two months of being referred to the hospital by their GP.

This was a drop of 10.6% compared to the 89.2% who began their treatment within this time period in May. The national target is 85%.

Gateshead Health Trust also observed a big spike in cancer treatment waiting times with 79.6% of patients starting treatment within two months in June, which was a drop of 7.1% compared to the figure for May.

However, City Hospitals Sunderland Trust (85.6%) and Newcastle Hospitals trust (85.8%) both hit the target in June.

Dr Barbara Hakin, national director of commissioning operations for NHS England, said: “Having recently published the report of the independent cancer taskforce, we plan to take comprehensive action on cancer care, improving survival rates and saving thousands more lives.

“In the last five years the number of cancer referrals has leapt by 645,000 or 71%, meaning GPs are increasingly spotting the warning signs early and referring people for tests.

“We are diagnosing and treating more people than ever before and, as a result, more people than ever are surviving cancer. We continue to treat the vast majority of patients within a month, whether that’s surgery, radiotherapy or drugs.

“As these statistics and new performance standards demonstrate, throughout the NHS patients are getting better care than ever before, and they are getting it when they need it and where they need it.”

Across the whole of England 81.4% of cancer patients began their treatment within two months of a GP referral in June, missing the 85% target.

Newcastle mum and fundraiser Andrea Thompson, whose son Jordan died from leukaemia in 2007 when he was 15-years-old, said that her family had experienced quick medical attention following his diagnosis.

She believes it is important to start the process as early as possible to offer the best chance of survival.

Andrea, who set up the Toma Fund to raise money for the families of children suffering from childhood cancer, said: “Jordan went to the doctors on a Monday, was in hospital by Tuesday and he had started treatment by the Thursday. but I know that it can be different for people, and that also that there are different signs.

“Some children show signs quicker than others - often they investigate for anaemia first. From our point of view though it was very quick, and we are thankful that he was seen very quickly.”

Natalie Hunter, at her home in Heaton

Natalie Hunter, who was diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer, said she too received treatment quickly following her diagnosis.

The mum-of-four, from Heaton, said: “From diagnosis it took just three weeks for me to be treated.

“I wouldn’t like to be in that situation myself. I imagine it’s very hard for other patients.”

The last time that the NHS managed to achieve this mark was April 2014.

This is the first month that NHS England has released all its key performance data on the same day with monthly figures for ambulance response times, A&E waiting times and other waiting times figures also being released.

Targets for ambulance responses to urgent calls were not met in June with 74.8% of Red 1 urgent calls and 71.4%of Red 2 urgent calls responded to within the eight minute target. The goal is for 75% of calls to be responded to in that time.

In A&E departments, 94.8% of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours, just shy of the 95% target.